Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

JRF endorses and joins national interfaith coalition "Fighting Poverty With Faith: A Week of Action", September 9-16, 2008

WHAT WILL THE CANDIDATES DO IN THEIR FIRST 100 DAYS
TO ADDRESS POVERTY AND OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA?

From September 9-16, 2008 people of faith across the country will be mobilizing their communities to ask their local, state and national candidates what they will do to address the pressing issues of poverty and opportunity in America in their first 100 days in office.

In communities across the country, people of faith will be calling and writing the candidates, holding forums to discuss these issues with civic and political leadership, engaging in interfaith community service to aid those in need in their communities, and otherwise highlighting the need for increased leadership on these issues.

Poverty in America is a moral and urgent problem. As we look across our country today, we see a nation where millions of people lack the basic necessities of life and where the futures of far too many young people are clouded by economic and social policies that have failed to promote a shared prosperity.

Our common scriptures present a vision of shared responsibility that commands that we leave the corners of our field for the poor and the stranger and mandates, “There Shall Be No Needy Among You” (Deuteronomy 15:4). Our common faith values call on us to respond.

Everyday faith organizations serve individuals in need within our communities. But our efforts to sustain our brothers and sisters living in poverty must be complemented with a serious plan from our political leaders to reduce the number of needy. By speaking out collectively during this week, we can spark a national conversation, and create a mandate for the officials elected this year to aggressively pursue a poverty-reduction agenda.

By acting during this time, you can be a part of a national interfaith movement to build the political and public will to address poverty in America.

Join Us!

For more information visit www.fightingpovertywithfaith.com, www.spotlightonpoverty.org and www.jrf.org/hunger, where you can find resources on how to participate and find events near you!

SAVE THE DATE: Special conference call with national leaders, Tuesday, September 9th at 1pm. See http://jrf.org/hunger-week-call for details.

Other important dates to know:

• Final national event to tie everything together, press conference/prayer vigil is September 16th at 10 AM.
• On Sunday, September 14th at 4 PM Eastern Time, we are urging interested communities to hold an event and to open it with a Shofar-blowing to “shatter our complacency” as the Mahzor (Jewish High Holiday prayer book) indicates.

Let Melissa know if you are interested in participating with us:

Melissa Boteach, MBoteach@thejcpa.org
Policy Associate, Poverty Campaign Coordinator
The Jewish Council for Public Affairs
1775 K Street NW, Suite 320
Washington, DC 20006
Office: 202-212-6039
Fax: 202-212-6002
www.jewishpublicaffairs.org

Sponsoring Organizations include:
Alliance to End Hunger, Association of Jewish Family and Children’s Agencies, Bread for the World, Catholic Charities USA, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Interfaith Youth Core, Islamic Relief, Islamic Society of North America, The Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, The National Council of Jewish Women, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, National Council of Churches, NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, Presbyterian Church (USA) Washington Office, The Righteous Indignation Project, Sojourners, Union for Reform Judaism, United Jewish Communities